CCP Channel spotlights stories of courage and hope in the Filipino spirit this July

 

Every story has the power to leave a lasting impression. Some remind us of the sacrifices people quietly make for those they love, while others encourage us to confront difficult truths, embrace compassion, and see the world through another person's eyes.

This July, the CCP Channel features select productions from the Virgin Labfest (VLF), the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, and the 37th Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video. Covering different themes and storytelling styles that offer the opportunity to experience stories that reflect the realities, struggles, and aspirations of Filipinos across generations.

Personal stories from the VLF stage translated onscreen

Beginning this month’s lineup are three VLF plays presenting stories of individuals facing life's challenges, difficult decisions, and moments that shape their lives. 

Originally staged as part of VLF 9, playwright Carlo Vergara’s Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady tells the story of a household helper and her sister whose lives take an unexpected turn after working for unconventional employers. As past conflicts resurface, the play blends comedy and drama while elaborating on family ties and personal aspirations.

Dear and Unhappy, also written by Vergara, follows a young woman who finds herself wandering through a mysterious forest after losing loved ones to war and personal tragedy. Mixing elements of fantasy and reality, the play from VLF 13 reflects on loss, resilience, and the weight of one's convictions.

Inspired by the experiences of Filipino and American soldiers imprisoned during the Second World War, O'Donnell shifts the spotlight away from military commanders and toward the ordinary men who endured life inside Camp O'Donnell. First staged for VLF 18, this play by playwright Jerry O'Hara amplifies the stories of courage, hardship, and resilience that often remain unheard.

Together, these featured productions demonstrate how theater continues to examine the human experience through different perspectives. Whether rooted in family, fantasy, or history, each play offers audiences an opportunity to reflect on the lives, choices, and experiences that continue to shape Filipino society.

The many facets of Filipino life as seen through Cinemalaya and Gawad Alternatibo films

Alongside this month's featured stage productions is a selection of independent films from Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video. From stories of family and loss to aging and the realities of the workplace, these films present different experiences that continue to resonate with Filipino audiences.

First screened in 2015, filmmaker Anj Macalanda’s WAWA offers a quiet meditation on loss through the eyes of a young boy accompanying his father on his final journey to his resting place. This short film gently explores grief, family, and the emotional process of letting go with its restrained storytelling. Wawa won the NETPAC Award and the Special Jury Prize at Cinemalaya.

Four men living in a hospice for the elderly confront the realities of aging while holding on to the friendships that have shaped their lives in filmmaker Ralston Jover’s HIBLANG ABO. The film reflects on memory, loneliness, and companionship with quiet sensitivity, capturing the challenges of growing old. Released in 2016, the film offers a thoughtful look at friendship and the shared experiences that continue to connect people even in the later stages of life. 

Filmmaker Onnah Valera’s MY FAKE AMERICAN ACCENT is set in a call center in Ortigas and follows a group of agents navigating workplace demands alongside their personal struggles. Told with humor, the film offers a glimpse into the everyday realities of many Filipinos, where adapting to another culture has become part of the job.

The CCP Channel also features selected works from the 37th edition of CCP Gawad Alternatibo, showcasing films by emerging Filipino filmmakers across different genres. Together, these entries examine social issues, personal choices, and community experiences through distinct storytelling approaches.

SI BALONG AT SI DORO, directed by filmmaker Jenser Recosana, tells the story of Balong, who is forced to confront the possibility of losing his beloved carabao in search of medical treatment for his disabled father. Featured in the Narrative category, the film sheds light on the difficult choices many families face due to poverty and the scarcity of basic needs.

Under the Animation category, filmmaker Mark Ellison Dimzon Mungcal’s THE NAUGHTY AND THE HUNGRY follows a race for survival in a post-nuclear world. It gradually unfolds into a story about compassion, trust, and unexpected connections, balancing humor with heartfelt moments.

From the Experimental category is THINGS YOU WANTED TO SAY BUT YOU TYPED IT NALANG SA SOCMED, directed by filmmaker Ja Turla. As cardinals gather to elect the next pope, it examines the ways digital platforms have shaped public discourse through satire and dark comedy. 

Featured under the Documentary category, Elijah Dennis Quert M. Magtibay’s AGAWAN SA PAMANA follows the Lambanog Skate Crew of San Pablo City. While documenting the group’s efforts to claim space and recognition despite limited support, the film captures a youth subculture’s continuing search for belonging.

Poignant connections and Filipino artistry within the CCP Channel

This July, the CCP Channel invites audiences to discover stories that reflect different realities, generations, and perspectives. Whether presented on stage or on screen, each featured work offers an opportunity to understand the lives of others and the experiences that continue to shape Filipino communities.

Launched in 2026, the CCP Channel continues to bring Philippine arts and culture closer to audiences anytime, anywhere, serving as a gateway to performances, films, and creative works by Filipino artists.

Watch the growing collection of world-class Filipino plays, films, and performances on the CCP Channel, with a monthly subscription at Php 99 and an annual subscription of Php 599. To subscribe, visit culturalcenterph.channel. 

Stay updated on the latest CCP shows, workshops, and events through the official Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts. For more information on CCP programs and events, visit https://culturalcenter.gov.ph.

CCP Cultural Exchange brings the 2026 Kaisa Sa Sining Apprenticeship Program to Tagum City

 

KSS-CCP-Tagum-2026

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Cultural Exchange brings the 2026 Kaisa sa Sining (KSS) Apprenticeship Program (AP) to Tagum City from July 22-31.

 

Now on its 8th edition, the City of Tagum Cultural Center will be the official venue of the program, specifically at the Herminigildo Balayo MD Hall.  This year’s apprentices total 24 from 17 KSS organizations nationwide.  The hands-on training modules are designed to enhance the competence level and skills of regional cultural workers in technical theater (sound and lights), and stage and production management.  The roster of trainers, facilitators, and resource speakers is prominent in their respective fields, including Arnelio Manzano, Joey Nombres, Renz Sevilla, and Chinggay Bernardo.  Mentoring on specific work areas in arts and theater, with accompanying lectures, interactions, demonstrations, case studies, and practical applications, is included in the program.

The apprenticeship is one of the support programs that the CCP CED provides for its KSS network, which to date has 80 members nationwide composed of local government units, educational institutions, and community-based organizations.  In the past seven years, a total of 188 apprentices from 102 local communities have completed the program and were trained and mentored on arts, production, stage and tour management, technical theater (lights and sounds), film & new media, visual arts, production design, venue operations, library & archives, video production, & cultural exchange. 

 The 2026 KSS apprenticeship program is being implemented in partnership with the Musikahan sa Tagum Foundation, the City of Tagum, and the Tagum City Tourism Arts and Culture Council.

CCP opens applications for its Kabataang Gitarista Program Batch 14 this August

 

CCP Kabataang Gitarista

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), through its Artist Training Division under the Arts

Education Department, once again opens applications for Batch 14 of the CCP Kabataang

Gitarista (KG) Program until August 25, 2026. An initiative designed for young musicians, the

program provides FREE weekly classical guitar training that fosters understanding of the

instrument and its repertoire.

Open to public high school students in the National Capital Region (NCR), the CCP KG

program seeks aspiring classical guitarists in Grades 7, 8, or 9 who are eager to develop their skills. Applicants must be willing to commit to weekly training sessions on Saturdays at the CCP Annex Building and to dedicate time to self-practice on weekdays outside regular training hours. They must also be able to bring a nylon-stringed guitar to the lessons.

Interested applicants may complete and submit the online application form (through this link:

https://tinyurl.com/ApplicationFormB14) on or before August 25, 2026 (Tuesday), 5:00 PM.

They are expected to attend the onsite auditions on August 29, 2026 (Saturday), from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex. Walk-in applications will also be accommodated on the day of the auditions.

Applicants who successfully pass the onsite auditions will be invited, together with their parents and guardians, to attend an orientation and lecture on September 5, 2026 (Saturday), from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the CCP Annex Building.

Now in its 14th year, the CCP KG Program has provided young guitar players with quality classical guitar lessons and performance opportunities. Members of the ensemble have also

performed across various CCP venues, selected public and private schools, outreach concerts

outside Manila, and private engagements.

Several members have likewise distinguished themselves in local and international competitions, earning recognition for their schools and bringing pride to the country through their achievements. More than technical training, the program aims to develop a performing classical guitar ensemble and provide young musicians with opportunities to explore their musical potential.

For inquiries regarding the CCP Kabataang Gitarista Program, interested applicants may visit

this link: https://linktr.ee/kabataanggitarista.official or contact the CCP Artist Training

Division via email at kabataanggitarista.official@gmail.com. For updates and additional

information, visit the official CCP website (https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/) and follow the CCP

Arts Education Programs and CCP Kabataang Gitarista Facebook pages.

CCP, BENCH HOLD TERNOCON WORKSHOP & EXHIBIT IN BINAN CITY, LAGUNA

 

With the mission to preserve and promote the Philippine dress,  the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), in partnership with Bench/Suyen Corporation and the local government of Binan City in Laguna, will hold a terno-making workshop from May 19 to 24, and an exhibition from May 22 to June 28, at the Sentrong Pangkultura ng Binan, Binan City, Laguna.

Billed as “Fashioning the Terno,” the workshop series kicked off in October 2025 with its Mindanao leg in Iligan City, followed by its Visayas leg in Iloilo City last April.

The next series, the Luzon leg, will be participated in by 24 local designers from the National Capital Region and various provinces in Luzon, including Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan,  Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bulacan, Batangas, Mindoro, and Laguna.  

The exhibition will feature the ternos designed by the Ternocon 2025 winners and finalists, Peach Garde, Bryan Peralta, Ram Silva, and Windell Madis, with pieces by mentors Ezra Santos,  Rhett Eala, and Lulu Tan Gan.  

The Luzon participants will undergo intensive hands-on training on terno making with relevant lectures by experts led by Ternocon founding artistic director Gino Gonzales, Ternocon former mentor Lulu Tan Gan, Ternocon current artistic director Ricardo Eric Cruz, 2020 chief mentor awardee Abdul Gaffar,  Carolina de Leon,  Ternocon 2020 Bronze Medalist Dinnes Obusan, Ternocon 2025 Silver Medalist Bryan Peralta, and Ternocon 2025 Mentors’ Choice Award Windell Madis.

All workshop participants from Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon are qualified to submit proposals for the competition slated for February 2027.

The Virgin Labfest XXI: Hubo’t Hubad unwraps the human soul with 12 ‘virgin’ scripts

 

The Virgin Labfest (VLF) officially comes of age in its 21st edition, stripping down all pretense of innocence while showcasing the bold Filipino voice and spirit. As it nurtures emerging and established playwrights, directors, actors, and designers, it revels in the artistic and creative desires expressed through fearless storytelling.

Guided by the theme Hubo’t Hubad, this year’s VLF reflects on the many ways people reveal themselves. It invites audiences to engage with works that expose layers of identity, memory, and vulnerability.

Offering a deeper understanding of the human experience, the country’s theater festival of untried, untested, and unstaged one-act plays returns with 12 “virgin” scripts this June 3 to 28, 2026, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater).

Unrestrained tales of the human experience

Featuring new works by eight “virgin” playwrights and four returning playwrights, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD elaborates on the unbridled truths of humanity’s essence after blooming into a passionate community of untold narratives over the last two decades.

Anthony Kim Vergara’s PASSWORD123, PILIPINAS321 centers on Blackteam, an underground cyberspace operation disguised as a technical support center. With his cousin leading the team’s troubling methods, the lead character questions his chosen path as a cybersecurity expert and as a Filipino.

A reporter is about to receive an international award in HUMAN RIGHTS STORY OF THE YEAR by Elijah Felice Rosales. At her farewell party, a former colleague declares she does not deserve the recognition.

PATAYIN ANG MGA SUROT by Floyd Scott Tiogangco occurs on the last night of Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency. While an Oplan Tokhang operation unfolds, tension builds as a couple conducts their own extermination of bedbugs.

A wounded fighter stumbles into a small Marawi hospital in Neil Arkhe Azcuna’s BALOS. Because of his arrival, four medical workers must decide between staying silent to save lives and speaking up to risk everyone’s refuge.

In Alab Usman’s HARAM, three queer Muslims struggle to manage faith and love across borders and barriers.

A former nun turned Philosophy professor and Gab Mactal’s LUALHATI meet again. Their memories of faith and romance emerge on the last night of the wake held at the Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn convent.

Dustin Celestino’s ELEHIYA is an impressionistic montage of conversations of fathers and sons that could have taken place but did not.

A former womanizer meets the love of his life in SHE’S ELECTRIC by Ron Evangelista. However, his friends make a discovery that leads to an insightful discussion on the sexual and philosophical nature of relationships.

Faith Ferrer Lacanlale’s BETAMAX follows a woman who begins to see “human pigs” after a minor road accident. As she ascends to madness, the darkness surrounding her family is brought to light.

A grieving family turns back time with a virtual archive of memories in FOOTPRINT by JEROM CANLAS. While they scramble to make sense of a tragedy, their unspoken feelings inflict a much harsher truth.

Set in Tarlac, two strangers uncover an unexpected connection by exchanging tales of love and disappointment within the walls of a rage booth in John Lapus’ TAKSYAPO!. 

Gerald Manuel’s BUHAGHAG follows a young lady who is haunted by a long-haired enigma that corners her into choosing between self-preservation and self-destruction.

In addition to the new plays, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD revisits three stories from last year’s edition: Ade Valenzona’s POLAR COORDINATES, Rolin Cadallo Obina’s THE LATE MR. REAL, and Siege Malvar’s PRESIDENTIAL SUITE #2.

Valenzona’s POLAR COORDINATES follows a confused student after he fails his Math exam. With the fate of his fragile family and strange feelings for his tutor piling on, he struggles to carve his own path.

Obina’s THE LATE MR. REAL takes place in an isolation facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a wall separating them, an estranged couple reexamines the clashing views that led to their marriage’s failure.

A senator is accused of money laundering in Malvar’s PRESIDENTIAL SUITE #2. While she recovers from a heart attack, her children rally for the best course of action to salvage their reputations.

Peeling off innocence and refining raw talent

True to its core of celebrating both budding and veteran playwrights, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD continues to nourish its garden of talent through its educational components: Staged Readings, Writing Fellowship Program and Showcase, Theater Talks, and Playwrights’ Fair.

Script submissions from VLFXXI come to life through stripped-down reading performances in Staged Readings. Jose Victor Torres’ MGA TATSULOK, M. Manalastas’ THE DEVOURED, Dingdong Novenario’s MANANG, Rafael Jimenez’s SUOR, Juan Ekis’ KASAL(ANAN), and Jay Fernandez’s ANG HULI take the stage.

The VLF Writing Fellowship Program, a two-week mentorship on dramatic writing for the stage headed by award-winning playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas, culminates in a thrilling showcase. The Taiwan International Play Reading Festival (TIPR) will also hold a special staged reading of Ihot Sinlay Cihek’s HOW ROMANTIC: A GUIDE TO MODERN PANGCAH LIFE, alongside the National Art Centre’s PRISON DANCER.

A forum series on the creative processes behind theater, Theater Talks will feature TIPR with speaker Cheng-Han Wu. Jin Yim and Cui Yin Mok of the Asian Producers’ Platform share their insights, together with Shizuoka Performing Arts Center’s Takuya Maehara.

Meanwhile, VLF founder and Palanca-awardee Rody Vera, Liza Magtoto, and Glenn Sevilla Mas host Playwrights’ Fair, peeking into the minds of veteran playwrights. Guest speakers Tanya Lopez, Dessa Quesada-Palm, and Sari Saysay explore the essence of Visayan theater, herstories, and settings in the nation’s current artistic landscape.

Uncovering new narratives charged with immense thirst for artistry, VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD shows are scheduled at 2 p.m. matinee and 8 p.m. gala, while its educational components are slated at 5 p.m. from June 3 to 28, 2026. Tickets are priced at Php800 (regular) and Php1000 (premium), available for purchase at the CCP Box Office and Ticket World.

For more updates on the festival schedule and ticket-selling, visit the official pages of VLF, CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc., and Writers’ Bloc across Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art showcases Filipino food artistry in celebration of Filipino Food Month this April

 With its diverse and rich flavors rooted in indigenous cultures and influences, Filipino cuisine reflects the country’s history and abundant culture. From iconic savory dishes to regional fares,

Filipino food offers not only to satiate hunger but also tells the story of local ingredients and family traditions.

Beyond its taste, the preparation and presentation of every dish highlights the overall appeal of Filipino cuisine and adds visual depth and storytelling. It shows that Filipinos do not just cook food but they do it to show care and express their hospitality.

Filipino food goes far beyond simple nourishment. It reflects a deep sense of creativity and artistry that appears at every stage of the culinary experience: from preparation to plating.

Cooking involves skillful techniques and balanced flavors, often adapted with resourcefulness. Serving styles, like communal meals on banana leaves, emphasize culture and connection. The presentation is vibrant and carefully arranged, making dishes visually appealing as well as delicious.

In celebration of Filipino Food Month this April, the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (CCP EPA) showcases and promotes the rich Philippine cuisine while also emphasizing how they shape our national and cultural identity and open conversations on its sustainability and conservation.

Do you know your Filipino dishes and local ingredients, as well as their cooking processes and more? Learn more about them through CCP EPA’s comprehensive article on Food Art.

FRUITS AND RELISHES

Relishes and desserts are mostly the preferred mediums for food art since they can be prepared in advance, offering more time for creating designs. A good example is achara, it’s a pickle relish made of grated unripe papaya and other vegetables like cucumber and bell pepper. Its textures and colors are ideal for carving various shapes, figures, and even small scenes, which are then arranged in glass jars to create decorative displays. The natural colors of the ingredients provide many ways for them to express their artistry through arranging these relishes.

Pan de San Nicolas (Photo courtesy of Nicanor G. Tiongson)

Mayumo, the Pampango word for sweet, is a food art from San Miguel de Mayumo in Bulacan.

They preserve different kinds of fruits, mainly suha (pomelo), dayap (lime), kundol (wax gourd), etc. They are carved with decorative patterns before being put in jars for display.

In some provinces, like Laguna, creativity is shown differently, such as stuffing limes with coconut jelly, adding both visual and textural contrast to the dessert.

KAKANIN

The arrangements and packaging of kakanin is another medium for food art. One of the most popular ways of arranging kakanin is by serving it in bilao (flat baskets) which highlights its patterns and colorful visuals. Puto and kutsinta, for instance, are steamed in bamboo tubes or molds, made in different sizes and colors, and arranged in bilao when served.

Other kakanin like suman, ibus, tupig, tamales, and puso also highlight the creativity of wrapping using materials such as coconut fronds, banana leaves, and nipa leaves. For example, suman sa ibus is mostly wrapped in pale young coconut fronds, while in Obando, Bulacan, darker fronds are woven into small triangular baskets.

Tupig from Ilocos is both decorative and practical, commonly enjoyed during holidays or cockpits. In Cebu and Cagayan de Oro, they have puso also known as “hanging rice” encased in woven coconut leaves shaped into portable pouches, with various regional names like balisungsong, lambay, patupat, and tamu.

PASTILLAS

The famous pastillas de leche, sweets made from carabao milk and sugar from San Miguel de Mayumo, are also known for its pabalat (wrappings), made of multicolored thin paper, called papel de japon. They are cut into stars, leaves, flowers, palm leaves and branches, letters and other designs.

Pabalat or pastillas wrappers of papel de japon, Nicanor G. Tiongson Collection

Pabalat artist Luz Mendoza Ocampo uses patterns she personally designed, such as the so-called Maria Clara motif, tinikling, pounding rice grains, nipa hut, birds, and various flowers. She traces the pattern into layers of papel de hapon using a pencil, and then cuts the paper using a cuticle scissor.

Other pabalat artists prefer the freestyle method without using any patterns or drawings by cutting a folded paper freehand. The pabalat tradition in Bulacan is usually practiced by women. Well-known pabalat artists are Amparo Pengson, Rosa David, Nene Pineda, Luz Reyes, and Teresita Ramos.

COOKIES AND BREADS

In Pampanga, during feast day of San Nicolas, cookies designed in his iconography are sold outside churches. Meanwhile, in Bago City, Negros Occidental, alfajor cookies are also popular amongst migrant families from Panay who settled there in the 1920s. The cookies are made of rice flour and sugar then pressed into wooden molds showcasing various designs including symbols like USAFFE and Boy Scouts insignias, flowers, etc. They are typically cooked by being sun-dried.

Animal-shaped bread from Domalaon Bakery, Antipolo City (Photo by Kiko del Rosario)

Breads also serve as an ideal medium for creative food art. In Silay, Negros Occidental, empanadas are meticulously fluted in a milles feuilles style, while in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, panaras are crafted with pinched edges and distinctive patterns. The shaping of tortas reales and castillos, sweets influenced by Spanish heritage, continues alongside more modern cake decorations inspired by American traditions. In Antipolo, Rizal, one bakery is popular for making bread into playful shapes, including lobsters, pigs, turtles, and crocodiles, showcasing a unique form of food artistry.

CCP Pasinaya returns with new component and venue partners in 2026

 

Now on its 20th year, the CCP Pasinaya: The Open House Festival, the country’s flagship multi-arts festival organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), ushers in this year’s National Arts Month with new components and venue partners. Bannering the theme “Paglikha sa Kinabukasan,” the milestone 20th edition of CCP Pasinaya celebrates two decades of artistic collaboration, creativity, and public engagement.

Slated for February 7 and 8, 2026, the CCP Pasinaya expands to an additional regional venue in Roxas City, Capiz, adds Rizal Park Luneta as a new venue partner, Calle Wright as part of Paseo Museo and introduces a new component Paligsahan, which aims to broaden public participation and foster deeper appreciation of Philippine arts and culture.

“We are pleased to expand the festival to additional partner venues across Metro Manila and the regions, enabling wider public participation in artmaking and appreciation. As CCP Pasinaya marks its 20th edition, the festival continues to offer new experiences even for its long-standing audiences,” said CCP President Kaye C. Tinga.

Guided by the theme “Paglikha sa Kinabukasan,” this year’s CCP Pasinaya underscores the importance of engaging Filipinos—especially the youth—in shaping the future of the country’s creative landscape. By bringing the festival closer to communities nationwide, the CCP hopes to encourage broader participation and inspire future generations of artists and audiences to sustain and elevate Philippine arts and culture.

“Guided by this year’s theme, Paglikha sa Kinabukasan, CCP Pasinaya seeks to go beyond presenting art—it aims to foster a culture of active artmaking where Filipinos, especially the youth, are not just spectators but co-creators in our creative landscape. By bringing the festival closer to communities across the country, we hope to provide opportunities for meaningful engagement, spark curiosity, and nurture a generation of artists and audiences who will carry forward and reimagine the future of Philippine arts and culture,” shared CCP Artistic Director and Pasinaya Festival Director Dennis N. Marasigan.

On February 7, dive into a full day of creativity with Palihan, a workshop-all-you-can experience offering hands-on art exploration and learning. On February 8, enjoy Palabas, featuring performances of 169 participating groups, including the National Performing Arts Companies, professional performing arts groups, and individual artists, highlighting the breadth and diversity of Philippine arts on one stage.

Throughout both days, join the Paseo Museo hop-on, hop-off curatorial tours across 17 museums and galleries in Metro Manila. Select museums will also feature special performances and workshops, giving visitors an immersive and interactive art experience. Free shuttle service, provided in partnership with the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, makes it easy for participants to travel between venues. Paseo Museo also launches a walking tour of the CCP Complex led by the Heritage Collective.

Professional performing arts groups and artists participate in Palitan, a dedicated business-to- business platform designed to foster meaningful connections with Philippine embassies, arts programmers, and other key stakeholders. Through this initiative, participants gain opportunities to present their work, explore collaborations, and expand their reach both locally and internationally, strengthening the presence of Philippine arts on the global stage.

This year also marks the debut of Paligsahan, a dynamic new component of the festival featuring a wide range of exciting activities open to everyone. This new component includes the Paeksena (a cosplay competition), Paramihan (a TikTok video challenge), Paseo Museo Paunahan (a stamp rally), Pitik-Larawan (a photo contest), Sinag ng Pasinaya (a mobile 1v1 fighting game), and Vertical Shorts Competition (a short shorts film competition).

Enhancing the festive spirit of CCP Pasinaya is Pamilihan, a lively marketplace where festival goers can explore a diverse mix of food stalls, artisanal treats, and handcrafted goods, all while supporting local vendors and entrepreneurs.

Projected to attract over 50,000 attendees, CCP Pasinaya expands this year to multiple venues, including the Circuit Performing Arts Theater, Aliw Theater at the CCP Complex, Concert at the Park in Rizal Park Luneta in collaboration with the National Parks Development Committee, and the historic Metropolitan Theater in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Longtime regional partners the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Arts in Iloilo City and Tagum City return to join the celebration, reaffirming their commitment to supporting the festival’s nationwide reach. Adding to this growing network is a new regional partner venue in Roxas City, Capiz, further expanding the CCP Pasinaya’s presence and making the arts more accessible to communities across the country.

Established in 2005, CCP Pasinaya was originally envisioned as a marketing platform to provide previews of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ upcoming productions and programs, as well as a glimpse into the performance seasons of its then-resident companies. Over time, it grew into the official kickoff event for the National Arts Month celebration.

Over the years, the festival has expanded into a dynamic hub for arts appreciation, education, and creative collaboration. It now showcases performing arts groups and artists from nearby cities and regions, whose generous participation reflects a shared commitment to nurturing and celebrating Philippine arts.

CCP Pasinaya embraces a “workshop-all-you-can, watch-all-you-can, and pay-what-you-can” approach, providing audiences with flexible ways to participate, learn, and immerse themselves in the arts. Registration is available online through the official CCP Facebook page.

For details on the Paligsahan component, including participation mechanics, follow the CCP on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To learn more about the Cultural Center of the Philippines and its programs, visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph 

CCP’S 16th KUTITAP ARTS CAMP FOR INDIGENOUS CHILDREN GOES TO BAGUIO CITY

 

In celebration of the 2025 National Children’s Month and National Indigenous Peoples’ Month, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), through its Cultural Exchange Department (CED), holds a weeklong arts camp under the annual program, Kutitap: Isang Piging ng Kabataang Makasining, from November 18 to 22, 2025, in Baguio City.

Fifty-five children and their adult leaders, representing various cultural communities from all over the country, will gather for a celebration of arts, culture, and traditions.

Now on its 16th year, Kutitap pursues its goals of instilling among the Filipino children and youth a deep sense of understanding, appreciation, and pride for Philippine indigenous arts and culture, as well as promote creativity and positive social values.

Kutitap will conduct interactive activities to include mini-workshops and showcases (in dance, drama, music, rituals, visual arts, etc.), storytelling, crafting, traditional games, film viewing, group discussions, and creative collaboration, among others.

Since the first gathering in 2009, Kutitap has already reached over 3,334 children from 200 local communities nationwide. In 2011, the project was redesigned for the benefit of the children in Northern Luzon who were badly affected by typhoons Pedring and Quiel.

For the first time in 2015, Kutitap was brought out of the CCP and was hosted by the City of Batangas. For the first time too, the program was filmed and presented as part of the Children of Asia research project under the Asian Culture Institute (ACI) in Gwangju, South Korea. The film made by Kevin K. Park was shown during the opening of the Asia Culture Center (ACC) in Korea. In 2023, Kutitap was included in the Reclaim the Void art assemblage of the Aboriginal community in Western Australia.

In 2016, Kutitap was brought to the Visayas under the hosting of the Province of Capiz; Tagum City in 2017; Los Baños-Laguna in 2018; Koronadal City in 2019; in 2020 & 2021 virtual editions due to the pandemic, 2022 in CCP, Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple & San Jose Del Monte City; San Francisco-Agusan del Sur in 2023; and in Himamalyan City-Negros Occidental in 2024.

From November 18 to 22, 2025, Kutitap will engage the kids in educational, cultural, creative, and other participative activities designed to enable them to learn, understand, and appreciate better the indigenous life, traditions, and practices while emphasizing the values of good health, love, compassion, and perseverance. It will also include sessions on indigenous food, games, folktales, music, dance, film, and crafts.

Prominent filmmakers Milo Tolentino, Christian Candelaria, and Zig Dulay have agreed to share their notable films with the Kutitap kids – Andong, Sa Iyang Isla, and Black Rainbow. Andong has been a favorite film of the Kutitap kids as early as 2015.

Richard Vilar, an internationally well known storyteller from Butuan City, shares his folktales in a performance art for the Kutitap kids while Marichelle Santos of Bulacan will teach puni making or the art of leaf folding.

The 2025 Kutitap poster features the artwork of Kublai Millan of Davao City, designed and laid out by Jeruz Alcazarin of Gen. Santos City.

All these and more are facilitated by Kutitap’s pool of exceptional facilitators and trainers led by community culture specialists and advocates from Mindanao and Visayas, namely Rosalie Zerrudo, Lolito Pontillas, Cecile Mambuay, Arlem Abanes, and Renefe Tremedal.

This year’s participants are children ages 6 to 13 years old from 11 cultural communities: Mindanao: Blaan-Gen. Santos City, Higaonon-Butuan City, Visayas: Loboc-Bohol, Tacloban- Leyte, Sigma-Capiz Luzon: Binan-Laguna, Anak Bale-Balyan Angeles City-Pampanga, NCR: Bukas Palad-Pasay, Mga Anak ni Inang Daigdig-Tondo, Marikina City.

KUTITAP 2025 is supported by St. Louis University - Baguio City, Baguio Central School, Provincial Tourism Office, Baguio Country Club, and the Girl Scouts of the Philippines.

For more information on Kutitap & other cultural exchange programs, check out the CCP website, the CCP, and the CCP Cultural Exchange Department Facebook pages. Follow the

CCP official accounts on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube for more updates on CCP programs.